After quitting the electric car program in 2003 and effectively trashing any of its remains (who knows the story knows that I’m referring to the EV1), General Motors is back into the electric car business. Starting with the Volt, which was expected to be a bigger success than it is, the company is now announcing a second plug-in: the Spark EV.
If you’re from Europe, then you’re familiar with the name, made under Chevrolet’s brand. The Chevy Spark is a tiny four-seater (well, you could fit five, but it’s for four) and its reduced sizes make it an ideal candidate for an electric car.
GM won’t jump into producing the electric version right away. A gasoline-powered Spark will hit the U.S. market next year, and the electric one is only planned for 2013.
The new Spark EV will feature nanophosphate lithium ion batteries made by A123 Systems, already the #1 choice of EV manufacturers, small or big, in the U.S. (from my knowledge).
General Motors won’t sell the city-meant Spark in all 50 states, but only in California and the other 13 states that have strict emissions regulations. However, California has been traditionally the first place where EVs flourished, so it’s no wonder.
